PASADENA – Stanford nickel back Usua Amanam lingered for a few extra moments amid the blanket of red, white and green confetti that covered much of the Rose Bowl turf Tuesday night.

Minutes earlier the confetti had showered down on No. 6 Stanford's 20-14 victory against Wisconsin (8-6) in a throwback 99th Rose Bowl in front of 93,359 on a postcard afternoon in the shadows of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Now as Amanam stood a few yards from the spot where his late fourth-quarter interception sealed the Cardinal victory, the confetti appeared to be a trail stretching across college football's most storied venue, seemingly leading Stanford (12-2) to even loftier heights.

As much as anything, Stanford's triumph was a testament to the Cardinal's staying power as a major national program, confirmation that the road to the Pac-12 title, perhaps even the BCS national championship game, will continue run through the Farm.

Stanford's first Rose Bowl victory since 1972 comes at the end of an unlikely season in which the Cardinal once again defied the sport's conventional wisdom. Stanford, the theory went, didn't have Jim Harbaugh, who transformed the Cardinal from laughingstock to win in the 2011 Orange Bowl before bolting for the NFL. The Cardinal didn't have Heisman runner-up quarterback Andrew Luck, didn't have the talent to hang with preseason No. 1 USC or high-powered Oregon.

"That definitely gave us a lot of motivation," Amanam said of the skepticism. "Every single year we lose people and we somehow bounce back. I think it's a testament to our coaches. We lost (Heisman runner-up tailback) Toby Gerhart a couple of years ago. We lost Coach Harbaugh a couple years. We lost Andrew Luck last year. I mean our program's here to stay."

Stanford's resiliency that was on display throughout a season in which the Cardinal knocked off No. 2 USC and top-ranked Oregon was again evident in game that seemed to step back into the 1950s and '60s.

"An old fashioned game, two smash mouth, physical teams going head to head," said Cardinal tailback Stepfan Taylor, who rushed for 88 yards on the way to being named the offensive player of the game.

Stanford jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Taylor's 3-yard touchdown run with 6:35 left in the first quarter only to see that edge to shrink to 17-14 by halftime. But the Cardinal made David Shaw the first black coach to win the Rose Bowl, or any other BCS bowl, by shutting out in the second half Wisconsin tailback Montee Ball and a Badgers offense that ran up 70 points in the Big Ten title game. The Cardinal defense allowed Wisconsin just two second-half plays in Stanford territory. The second of those plays found the Badgers driving and facing a second-and-5 from the Stanford 49 with just over two minutes left.

"You're at midfield or close to midfield with a chance to win the Rose Bowl," Badgers interim coach Barry Alvarez said. "I just felt like maybe we were a team of destiny."

Instead, Amanam stepped in front of a Curt Phillips' pass on the Cardinal 42 to hand Wisconsin its third consecutive Rose Bowl loss and extend the Big Ten's futility in Pasadena with the ninth loss in the conference's past 10 Rose Bowl appearances.

"I think one of the linemen got a hand on the ball and I just happened to be there to clean up the trash," Amanam said.

Amanam's interception also gave Stanford its second BCS bowl victory in three seasons — an overtime loss to Oklahoma State in last season's Fiesta Bowl after winning the Orange the previous season.

"Hopefully this leaves no doubt to people that we're a program to be taken seriously on the field," Cardinal outside linebacker Trent Murphy said.

Murphy, a fourth-year junior, recalled when the Cardinal weren't even taken seriously on campus. Between 2002 and 2006, Buddy Teevens and Walt Harris were a combined 16-40 before Stanford turned over the program to Harbaugh in 2007.

Stanford players celebrate after beating Wisconsin 20-14 in the 2013 Rose Bowl Tuesday. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wisconsin wide receiver Jordan Fredrick pulls in a pass for a touchdown with seconds left in the second quarter to put the Badgers within 3 points of Standford 17-14. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, left, celebrates his touchdown with Melvin Gordon in the second quarter against Stanford. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford guard Cole Underwood, left, lets out a yell as he begins to celebrate Stanford's win in the 2013 Rose Bowl over Wisconsin. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan reacts to the Stanford crowd as he returns to the locker room after the Cardinal beat Wisconsin 20-14 in the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford guard Kevin Danser is in celebration mode after the Cardinal beat Wisconsin 20-14 in the 2013 Rose Bowl Tuesday. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wisconsin defensive back Nate Hammon, right, can't keep Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor out of the end zone in the first quarter for the second Cardinal score in the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor, center, congratulated by Sam Knapp, left, and tight end Levine Toilolo, right, after Taylor scored Stanford's second touchdown against Wisconsin in the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A member of the Stanford band performs in the pre-game show before the start of the 2013 Rose Bowl Tuesday. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A saxophone player gets into the beat of the music as the Stanford band performs for the 2013 Rose Bowl pre-game show. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The Stanford band performs before the start of the 2013 Rose Bowl between Wisconsin and Stanford Tuesday. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford safety Jordan Richards hits Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon as he tries to pass the ball in the first quarter. Wisconsin was called for intentional grounding on the play. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez protests a call by a referee during the 2013 Rose Bowl against Stanford Tuesday. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
WIth pressure from Stanford safety Jordan Richards, Wisconsin wide receiver Chase Hammond lets a pass drop out of his hands during the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon is tripped up by Stanford cornerback Terrence Brown, left, and safety Ed Reynolds, left, during the third quarter of the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan finds a hole and gains some yardage as Wisconsin defensive lineman Pat Muldoon, left, and defensive lineman Tyler Dippel, right, give chase. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor, left, muscles his way past Wisconsin defensive back Shelton Johnson in the third quarter of the 2013 Rose Bowl. Stanford beat WIsconsin 20-14. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford's Jordan Williamson reacts after making a field goal against Wisconsin in the 2013 Rose Bowl. Williamson contributed two field goals in the Cardinal win over the Badgers 20-14. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wisconsin running back Montee Ball dives into the end zone for the score as Stanford safety Jordan Richards tries to stop him in the second quarter of the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford linebacker A.J. Tarpley, left, celebrates with a teammate after the Cardinal beat Wisconsin 20-14 in the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford head coach David Shaw holds the Rose Bowl Championship Trophy as he holds his son during the awards ceremony after the Cardinal beat Wisconsin 20-14 in the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Standford fans get crazy during the 2013 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin Tuesday. The Cardinal beat the Badgers 20-14. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A Stanford fan holds a rose with her team leading 17-14 at half time of the 2013 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Wisconsin fans watch as a B-2 bomber flies over the Rose Bowl before the start of the game between Stanford and Wisconsin. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A disappointed Wisconsin defensive back Devin Smith, left, watches as Stanford guard Khalil Wilkes, center Sam Schwartzstein, second from right, and quarterback Kevin Hogan, right, celebrate beating the Badgers 20-14 in the 2013 Rose Bowl. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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